About the market…

“Sales of pizzas grew by 26% between 1999 and 2004 to reach £728 million in the latter year. The level of competition in the market is such that price pressure has always been a problem but it has tended to affect the frozen sector more than the chilled one. That was not the case in 2004 as the chilled sector was affected by price promotions, strong competition, and the strategy of retailers to attract more consumers into chilled convenience food markets by reducing price at the lower end of the market.

“One of the key trends in the market has been the move from deep pan bases to thin bases, which are seen as lighter and healthier. Toppings such as cheese and tomato, pepperoni, ham and pineapple/mushroom are still the most popular but the fastest growing ones are chicken and beef.”

About Mintel’s report…

Fusing together the most innovative consumer research and latest market analysis, Mintel's new report offers you all the insight and inspiration you need for designing clever, creative and profitable marketing strategies.

Mintel’s exclusive research offers you a vital new means of assessing consumers’ attitudes towards pizza. In addition, Mintel’s report has been designed to help you to identify key factors that determine the scale and nature of the UK pizza market.

This hugely valuable report also draws on a range of sources and statistics to examine consumer lifestyles and typologies as well as the market’s size, drivers and the supply structure.

Intriguing findings include…

Around a half of consumers buy frozen pizzas, compared with 28% who buy takeaway/home delivery pizzas and 26% who buy chilled ready-made pizzas.

Some 16% of consumers would rather order a takeaway than cook a pizza themselves.

For 30% of consumers the topping is more important than the base and it is the topping that makes the pizza.